It seems like quite a while since my last Lucy update. Once the little ones hit the 12 month mark I like to get on an every three month schedule. Somehow for Lucy, this just doesn't seem fitting. So much has changed in her little world since becoming a year old. And in turn that means so much has changed in my world.
So much in a lovely way, of course. We
are talking about the Lovely Lu here. Over the course of the Fall, I've watched a toddler emerge and a personality like no other bud. It's been bittersweet, at the risk of sounding cliche. But, I truly can't think of any other way to describe this metamorphosis she has gone through. Oh yes, I miss my snuggly and non mobile baby. But, at the same time, I have adored watching her grow and become her own. Or, more accurately, try to become her bigs on a few years delay.
And sadly, more than my other two children, this go round has gone by the fastest. I think I blinked and here Lucy was cruising around the house. She's growing up way too fast. There are moments I wish I had a pause button, like when she is cozied up in her reading chair flipping through books with that curious wonderment in her eyes or imitating my laugh.
And then there are moments that I wish I had a fast forward button, like when she is clinched onto my pant leg wailing while I'm trying to do homework with Jack, clean up a hundred and two crayons Maggie has scattered across the kitchen floor, and all the while dinner is burning and boiling over. {yes, it goes down just like that on occasion}
And it's in those moments, that I remind myself {and it easier said than done sometimes}, don't blink. I stop everything, pick little Lu up, hold her tight, and go through the rest of my evening as a one armed Mommy.
Because of this blinking phenomenon, I want to remember every little detail about Lucy at this exact time in her precious life. So here it goes.
Eat
All in all, Lucy is good eater. Jack was great at this age and Maggie's picky side was emerging. In true Lu fashion, she's a little of both.
She eats a lot. To the point, I feel it necessary to cut her off at times. Mainly this occurs at breakfast {because don't all kids prefer breakfast foods the most, at least mine do}. Lucy eats an average to a bit above sized lunch and then tapers off by dinner.
Her favorite foods are berries. I swear this girl could eat a farm full. She loves blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries. In the fruit category, she also enjoys a banana, oranges, watermelon, and green grapes {and of course, I buy the purple ones}. What she doesn't like is cantaloupe {go figure, that's Maggie's fave} and she could take or leave pears and apples.
Lucy has gotten much more picky about her meats. Depending on her mood, she will take a few bites, but certainly doesn't choose them. That even goes for hot dogs...weird, huh? And veggies, you can pretty much forget that. I still put them on her tray, but usually they are still hanging around in the same place I put them by dinner's end. I've given in an offered her a squeezy pouch full of pureed veggies at dinner time and she devours it. This is exactly what Maggie did and finally three years later she came around. So I have hope.
So that leaves a selection of carbs as Lucy's other favorites. Peanut butter sandwiches, tortillas and hummus, crackers, breakfast bars, muffins, and waffles round out her top foods to dine on. But her all time favorite carb is mac n cheese. Just like her big brother. And that reminds, cheese! You can put cheese up there with the berries.
But, I find it very interesting, that she is usually willing to try anything. And most especially if it's on my plate. That's how I discovered she likes tuna salad, egg salad, and sushi. Lucy's even been known to eat a sandwich with all the fixins...lettuce, tomato, and mayo, just because it came off my plate.
Lu's table manners are a work in progress. Of course, she does the staple throw food on the floor deal. She's been sent to "uh oh" time in her bed because of this. It does the trick every time. However, she is amazing with a fork. Baby girl can spear anything and make it to her mouth. I'm hoping she will teach Jack how to do that nifty little trick.
Dining with Lucy has become much more challenging. At home it's doable. Eating out presents a whole new challenge, especially since her new mobility. Before I even sit her sweet little tush in that high chair at a restaurant, she wants down. Which isn't too big of a problem-she generally loiters right around our table. On occasion she makes her way over to a stranger and greets them {especially if they have a baby}. Embarrassing sometimes, but I've learned that by the third child, most embarrassment has been thrown out the window and replaced with exhaustion. Actually the biggest challenge this presents is that the bigs want to join her. And then there we are that crazy party of five who can't keep their children contained.
And that leads me to...
Activity
Obviously, the biggest news in activity is Lucy is a walker! I spent months watching this little one emerge into an upright mover. And to be honest, even the third time around it was so exciting! Lucy wrestled a little bit with the confidence to do it. She liked knowing someone was either holding the back of her shirt or her finger. I knew she could do it. The tricky part was getting her to realize it.
The best part though, was that she wanted it sooooo bad. The will was there. And we all know if there is a will there is a way. In her own Lucy language she would plead for us to get in position so she could take a few steps back and forth. Then it turned in to a few more and then a lot. And each time Lulu would congratulate herself with a round of applause. And you better believe she expected the same from us.
Since becoming an independent walker, Lucy loves to be outside. That isn't much new. But she wants the freedom of exploring, picking up leaves, looking for squirrels, pointing at dogs, walking in neighbors yards, and checking out the world. She is a curious little gal. With the weather getting colder this a bit of a challenge. I find her staring out the french doors with a longing look on her face. And plenty of times I bundle her up and out we go.
When the weather or her bigs don't permit, we play indoors. If I had to pick Lucy's favorite toy it would be whatever Jack and Maggie are playing. But, she does love instruments, anything with a ball to put in a hole, shape sorters, books, and puzzles. Lu can amaze you with her puzzle skills.
Happily she is a book baby. I love that we can snuggle up and read together. She does go to flipping the pages at rapid fire speed, until I remind her to wait. But I adore the way she shows me which book she wants to read and makes all the sound effects I do. Right now her favorite is Sniff, a board book about an elephant. Lucy also loves any kind of nursery rhyme, song or finger play. Her favorites are Patty Cake and The Wheels on the Bus. However, you can play any music and this little one will bop and sway right along.
My favorite thing to watch Lulu play are baby dolls. She adores babies. Real ones or toy ones. She snuggles them up by her ear {like a cell phone} and shushes them {the toy ones obviously}. And as for the real ones she's attracted to them like a magnet. I find it so endearing. The sad news is she won't be getting a real one around here. Guess she'll have to keep hunting them down at restaurants.
When Lucy isn't showing her softer side, she is Super Baby. That is the nickname she has earned at our house and rightfully so. She can tear a piece of furniture down to the ground in no time flat. She is strong, determined, and curious. Traits that I assume one day will get her far in life {at least I'm hoping}. Lucy can open dresser drawers and pull out every article of clothing, she can remove pots and pans from kitchen cabinets, and pull down baskets of toys on a whim. She also uses her strength to body slam Jack anytime she finds him on the floor. This usually leads to a full wrestling match between the two {all the while Maggie is coloring}.
Lucy is definitely full of energy and is busy busy busy. The best part is that she is happy all the while. Rarely does this little one cry or whine. I have seen her bonk her head, tumble to the ground, and trip face first and get up like nothing ever happened. The tears usually only come when she needs some Mommy love {also known as 'I'm teething'}.
Most of Lucy's focus in the past couple months has been on getting mobile. As of 15 months, she's not a big talker. Yet, somehow she and I can communicate brilliantly. I actually have found this to be rather incredible. She does a lot of baby sign language and has made up some of her own. It's nearly impossible to not know what she is trying to communicate. And she really listens. She can follow directions, put her clothes in the hamper, go get me a diaper, feed Cosby, and throw something in the kitchen trash can among many other tasks.
Right now her vocabulary is pretty limited, but off hand here are a few words she says {mainly with beginning sounds}. Jack (jah), Maggie (mah), Mommy (mama), Daddy (dada), shoes (shs), snack (snk), bow (buh), book (booh), hi, bye, Cosby (woo woo-for woof woof), I can safely assume there are more, just not off the top of my head.
As you can imagine after a day of all of this, she and I are both really sleepy. And just like my other babies, Lucy is a fantastic sleeper.
Sleep
Lucy is still a two times a day napper. I love this and despise it at the same time. It's great when I'm at home and need to get a few things done, but it's worse when I really need to get out. I imagine she'll hold onto this morning nap for another few months if she is anything like the other two Cibula babes. I keep thinking come February I'll be out of nap jail, but that is a total estimate.
Lucy wakes around 8 am. Always with a smile and a big "hiiiiii". I can't get enough of it. By 9:30-9:45 she is ready for her morning nap, whether she looks like it or not. Honestly, you would have no clue that baby girl was sleepy, she just keeps going without a fuss. But, when I lay her down, she's usually out in about 10 minutes. But, not before she peruses the handful of books she has in her bed.
Lulu's afternoon nap begins anywhere from 1:30-2:00 depending on the day and where we've been. She then naps until about 3:30. This is another reason I am looking forward to a one nap kind of day. I really enjoy that extended afternoon nap.
As for bedtime, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't mind going down about 45 minutes earlier than she does. But for the sake of sanity, we put all three kids to bed at 7:30. I couldn't imagine staggered bedtimes {and honestly Lucy wants to be with her siblings}. So we hit the tub about 6:45, get snuggled up in pjs and read a few books. Then she is off to sweet dreaming by 7:15-7:30.
And the next morning we start it all over again. Not that any day with Lucy is the same. There is always something new to explore and get into.
What Makes Lu Unique
It never ceases to amaze how different each child from the same set of parents can be. Jack and Maggie are extremely different from one another and somehow Lucy entered our family and blended those two personalities beautifully. So I'd like to list a few things that make Lucy unique to our family.
*Lucy has never met a stranger. She will happily sit in anyone's arms, hold hands with a new face, or grab the wrong Mommy's leg and not mind a bit.
*Lucy has nicknames that no one else in the family has...Super Baby, Lulu, Lu, and our cherry on top.
*Lucy is full of energy and happy go lucky all at the same time.
*Lucy has broken more things in her 15 months of life than either Jack or Maggie have combined to date.
*Lucy can wrestle a 6 year old boy to the ground and smile while she's doing it.
*Lucy will sit snuggled up in my arms at night and let me sing her lullabies as her eyes get heavy. {the other two were clamoring for their crib}
*Lucy can work an iphone.
*Lucy can strip her self of every accessory while in her car seat.
*Lucy can sit on the floor with a photo album of her family and flip through all 40 pages mesmerized with each image.
*Lucy can brush her own teeth.
*Lucy can tear a Lego creation apart in one fail swoop.
*Lucy can get perfect strangers saying, "that baby is a hoot", "she's a busy baby", and "she is absolutely beautiful-look at her eyes".
*Lucy is a brunette {I think}.
*Lucy has the most amazingly luscious eyelashes.
*Lucy can imitate anyone's laugh and really get it going.
*Lucy has shown me three is indeed a charm.
Lucy's Stats
Height 31 1/4" 75th percentile
Weight 24lbs 5oz 75th percentile
Lucy is a nice sized toddler. She's just a bit smaller than Jack at this age and a tad bigger than Maggie. Somewhere right in the middle, just as I suspected.
She wears a size four diaper and fits perfectly in 18month clothing. I've found that she gets a new wardrobe due to her size and which season she falls in. Only a few hand me downs seem to work. And as I disappointing as this may seem, that's hardly the case. I love shopping for baby girl and especially love the fact that I can match the girls without feeling too much guilt.
And you know how much I adore a big baby....all the more to love on. Yummy rolls and "curls" {as Maggie likes to call them} adorn my sweet cherry on top. Delish!
My dearest Lu, happy 15 months! You have brought so much joy, energy, and fun loving nature to this family. I am in awe of you and the toddler you have grown into. If I could ask one thing of you it would be to slow down {the growing part that is}. I want to soak up every bit of you before you take off again. I thank God for you daily and never forget I love you through and through my little cherry on top! xoxo little one
